Automatic reversing mechanism



March 6, 1928.

A. L. HUNT ET Al.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING MECHANISM BY f Filed July 2s. 192s 2 J .I-|-| l lll ||||.l.1'||.l- Z y 5 2 0 E mm W7 2 E md m. Q Y V T .W um M ,rw/.n m n t W S`. dimm 2 March 6, 1928.

A. L. HUNT ET AL AUTOMATIC REVERSING MECHANISM Filed July 23. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7+ A A TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1928i.

UNITED STATES PATENT .oFFlcE.

ALBERT Ii. HUNT AND JOHN L. NAUJOCK, FMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC REVERSING MECHANISM.

Application 'led July 23, 1926. Serial No.`124,368.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic reversing mechanisms.

Many machines in operation require intermittent rotation in opposite directions, as in laundry and other machinery, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a reversing mechanism which will automatica-lly transmit motion intermittently in opposite directions in a very simplemanner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic reversing mechanism which is adapted to be easily connected to any machine requiring reverse operation.

A further object of the invention is to pro# vide an automatic reversing mechanism `which may be manually controlled to start or stop the mechanism or to permit adjustingr the driven mechanism to a predetermined position. i A

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of the improved automatic reversing mechanism and its parts and combinations as set forth in theclaims and all equivalents thereof.

ln the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the improved reversing mechanism, the topv portion of the casing being removed, the view also indicat ing by dotted lines a portion of a washing machine driven by the mechanism;

Fig.2 is a transverse sectional view thereo taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is likewise a transverse sectional AView taken on line 4-4 of'Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is aftop view of the machine, parts broken away to show interior construction and the worm wheel being removed;

Fig. 6 is an outside View of the machine; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a frame which forms the lower portion or acasing, and 11, the upper portion of said casing, is bolted thereto to enclose most of the gears of the mechanism. A drive shaft 12 journaled in and extending through the frame and casing is provided with a gear wheel 13 on its outer end, which is in mesh with a pinion 14: mounted on the shal't oit' an electric motor or other source of power 15 and is driven thereby. Within the the,

casing and adjacent one end thereof the shaft 12 is provided with pinions 16 and 16',

of dilferent diameters, and also within the casing adjacent its opposite end, `the shaft is provided with a pinion 17. A counter shaft 18 journaled in the frame above theV drive shaft 12 has mounted fast thereon and ymedially of its length a worm 19 and at its opposite end portions and fast thereon, pinions 20, 21 and 21 respectively, the pinlons 21 and 21 being of different diameters, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The pinion 20 is, in mesh with the pinion 16, and pinion 21 is in mesh with the pinion 17 to drive the shaft 18 at its opposite end equalize the strain. A rreversing shaft 22 extending through and journaled in the frame 10 may carry gear wheels 23 on its opposite ends which mesh with gears 24 form'- ing part of the machine 25 to be driven. Within the casing and adjacent the opposite ends thereof, the shaft 22 has loosely mounted thereon gear wheels 26 and 27having inner clutch hubs 26 and 27 for clutching the respective gears 26 and 27 alternately to the shaft 22. The clutch hubs or. members are provided with inwardly extending actuating lingers 28which are alternately engaged by the opposite conical ends 29 of a reciprocal vsleeve member `3() loosely mounted on vthe yshaft 22 and movable to clutch the gear 26 or" i of the shaft 22.

portions and' The conical end portions ofthe sleeve form i i annular shoulders 29', between which one end portion 31 of a lever member 32 extends. Said end portion 31 is of sufficient width to engage and move the reciprocal sleeve to engage the clutch fingers 28. The lever member 32 is fulcrumed on the lower portion of the casing, and extends outwardly therefrom, and is provided with a handle33 for manual manipulation.

The lever 32 is also provided with a longitudinally extending'slot 34 for receiving the wrist pin and roller 35 of a worm wheel 36 which is positioned above the lever 32. A short vertically extending shaft 37 extending through the upper portion o1 the casing is formed with 'a lower eccentric portion 38 upon which the worm wheel 36 is journaled. A cranked handle 39 mounted fast on the upper end portion of the shaft permits convenient turning of said shaft and the eccentric portion thereof to swing the worm wheel 3G out of mesh with the worm 19, and when thus disengaged the lever 32 may be swung laterally to move the clutch sleeve 30 to engage or disengage either clutch finger Q8. A ball, spring and recess latch 39 normally holds the eccentric 38 in a neutral position to maintain the worin wheelBG in mesh with the worm 19.

In operation, the shaft 12 will be rotated by the motor, and through the intermediary of the pinions and gears 1G, 20 and 17, 1T and 21, the gear wheels Q6 and .27 will be continuously rotated in opposite directions. The worm `will rotate the worm wheel` and the wrist pin and roller 35 will oscillate the .lever and move the clutch sleeve 3() to en gage one clutch linger, and then the other alternately in successive order and alternate- 1y clutch the reversely rotated gears 2G and 27 to the shaft 2&2, and thus alternately re verse the direction of rotation of said shaft 22and the machine to which itis connected.

`F rom the foregoing description, it` will be seen that the automatic reversing mechanism is of very ysimple construction, and is well .adapted for the purpose described.

lVhat we Aclaim as our inventionis:

1. An automatic reversing mechanism. comprising al frame, a drive shaft journaled thereon, a countershaft journaled on the frame, a reversing shaft journaled on the frame and having `means for transmitting motion therefrom, means for rotating the drive shaft, pinions gearing the drive shaft to the' counter-shaft, gear wheels loosely mounted on the reversing shaft, one of said gear wheels being in mesh with one of the pinions on the drive shaft and the other gear wheelbeing in inesh with one of the pinions on the countershaft for receiving rotation in a reverse direction, shaft clutching means connected to the gear wheels, a clutch sleeve slidably mounted on the 'reversingshaft and having conical end portions for actuating the shaft clutching means ofthe gear wheels and having spaced shoulders, a lever member fulerumed onthe frame and extending between the shoulders and having an elongated slot, an eccentric shaft journaled on the frame, a worm wheel journaled on the eecentric shaft and having a wrist pin which enters the elongated slot, a worm mounted on the countershaft and in mesh with the worm wheel, and means for turning the eccentric shaft to swing the worm wheel into and out of gear with the worm.

2. An automatic reversing mechanism, comprising a frame, a drive shaft journalcd thereon, a countershaft journaled on the frame, a reversing shaft journaled on the frame and having means for transmitting motion therefrom, means for rotating the drive shaft, pinions gearing the drive shaft to the countershaft, gear wheels loosely mounted on the reversing shaft, one of said gear wheels being in mesh with one of the pinions on the drive shaft and the other gear wheel being in mesh with one of the pinions on the countershaft for receiving rotation in areverse direction` shaft clutching means connected to the gear wheels, a clutch sleeve slidably mounted on the reversing shaft and having conical end portions for actuating the shaft clutchingr means of the gear wheels and having spaced shoulders, a lever member fulcrumed on the frame and extending be tween the shoulders and having an elongated slotan eccentric shaft journaled on the frame, a worm wheel journaled on the eccentric shaft and having a. wrist pin which enters the elongated slot, a worm mounted on the countershaft and in mesh with the worm wheel, said lever member also extend ing outwardly for manual manipulation, and a cranked arm mounted on the upper end portion of the eccentric shaft for turning said shaft to swing the worm wheel out of mesh with the worm.

In testimony whereof, we atiix our signatures. V

ALBERT L. HUNT. JOHN L. NAUJOCK. 

